Category: OPI

OPI x Wicked Winter 2024 Collection – Swatches & Review

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Omg hiiiiii. Yes it’s me, finally publishing my first post of 2025, 28 days into the new year. I have all of these big goals and plans for the year ahead – not just for the blog – and I was sure that I would be hitting the ground and just absolutely running on them right on January 1st. After all, I had that whole day off, what more was there to do? But then I didn’t. And then one week passed, another, and another. And suddenly, here we are 1 month into the new year.

Yet, I don’t feel panicked or like I’m behind (yet). The goals are all still there, I haven’t scrapped them. We still have 11 more months ahead of us for 2025, and I have years and years of swatching and blogging still in my lifetime. It’s almost like this first month has been the “set up”, something which I think is essential for any sort of new resolution. I know it’s been quiet, but I’ve still been here in the background.

You’re probably saying to yourself, (if you’ve followed me for any sort of time) haven’t you had this blog for years now, how have you not figured it out yet? Listen, after almost 10 years of Gingerly Polished, I do ask myself the same thing. I’ve been ebbing and flowing for years, and 2024 was especially sporadic. But my life has gone through so many phases and changes in this decade, how could I ever expect my blog to not do the same?

I started posting to this blog in 2016, in the summer before my senior year of college, as a fresh 21 year old, juggling an on-campus minimum wage job and schoolwork. I was surviving off hot dogs and microwaved cheese quesadillas, and my blog was built on reviews of Sinful Colors collections, as I could buy full sets of 8 polishes for $16. I’ve since graduated, landed a full time job in my field, moved to Chicago, bounced to 4 different apartments and now here we are in 2025. I’m now 30 years old, living in a lovely apartment with my fiancé and our dog, planning our wedding for this year, and in a wildly different financial position. With that privilege, and from also receiving PR from brands now, I’ve been so lucky to be able to purchase and review a wider range of brands than I could ever have imagined back when I started, typing up at the coffee table in my college apartment.

I’ve had my matching Instagram that entire time as well, and I’ve watched as the platform has gone from single photos to 20-photo carousels, and as video has taken over. I remember when 30 likes on one photo felt like an insane number, and I wouldn’t post swatches onto my Instagram until I had the matching blog post published. But with the ever moving and changing algorithm and constant advice of posting every single day and just post more and more, that personal rule quickly fell by the wayside. Instagram has always been the priority, and as mentioned, this is all a hobby alongside my full time job, so one thing had to go, and that was the blog.

But I never fully got rid of it. The blog has always consistently had views – even as my posting floundered. Because the one thing the blog always will have against Instagram is its searchable properties. You can look through and find any brand I’ve posted, any year, and find that specific shade and collection you had seen before and are still thinking about. Instagram is just for scrolling and scrolling. And I think especially as social media platforms continue to change and we see how flimsy they truly are – we did see an entire platform go down and up in one weekend – I think blogging could have another moment. After all, we’re seeing a rise of Substack, a blogging platform, so it’s even more important to use

This is all to say gingerlypolished.com is going nowhere in 2025, and I only want to give it the love it deserves. I have BIG plans for the blog this year, and I thank all of you who’ve stuck around for those empty and quiet months. We’re going back to consistency and I want to reward you with so much content. There’s so much backlog, items that have been up on Instagram without their accompanying blog posts for far too long. I can’t promise that I’ll get every single polish that I’ve every swatched up here, but we’re going to make a true dent.

At the end of last year, I also published a makeup review, and that was only the start of bringing beauty content back into my posting routine. I love reviewing new makeup products almost as much as a new nail polish collection, and again I’m just sitting on a mountain of content that just needs its published moment. The goal is at least 3 posts a week: 2 nail related and 1 makeup related. I’m sure it’ll take a few more months to fully settle into that routine, but you definitely won’t have months of silence again.

AND THERE WE GO, I’M DONE. Listen, clearly I love to yap, that hasn’t changed over these 10 years. I just always love to give myself a little “set up” post, and talk about my thoughts and plans. After being gone for months I didn’t want to just suddenly post like normal. I like to write things down to hold myself accountable, and I’m just excited for the year ahead. I’ve missed this blog, so it’s time to give it the love it deserves. And if you read all of this, I thank you. Thank you for being on this journey with me.

Now for what you’re actually here to read, let’s get on into the swatches.

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OPI Infinite Shine ‘Metallic Mega Mix’ Fall 2024 Collection – Swatches & Review

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Oh hiiiii, let’s finally round out the fall posts, shall we? Happy Thanksgiving, we’re all thankful for figuring out our blogging schedule.

But okay, yes, I did already post a review on OPI’s fall release a while ago, you are correct there. But that was the regular lacquer formula, the main 12 piece collection that everyone knows. That’s right, I have to clarify because OPI has recently also been releasing matching collections in their Infinite Shine formula. So lucky me, that means 21 polishes per season to swatch up on up for you all (yes I’m the one “requiring” myself to swatch both collections, but all of these shades were pretty). I don’t know how long this will continue, but we do also have this pattern for the Winter 2024 collections, watch out for 2 posts on that set too!

As mentioned, these are in OPI’s “Infinite Shine” formula, the ones with the shiny silver caps, adn the ones that are a touch more expensive than the regular lacquer line. OPI describes this line as being “gel-like”, locking onto nails for longer wear as well as being super shiny. As always, I can’t speak to the longevity claims, as I’m switching my polish up too often with swatching. I more swatch these for the colors rather than any promised benefits. Maybe you’ll notice something different on your own nails!

These shades (as well as the regular lacquers) are all available from Beyond Polish (as always, code GingerlyPolished gets you 10% off individual items. It is affiliated which would mean I would receive a small commission from each purchase – never feel obligated to use my code when making a purchase. I just want you to save some money). They’re also available from PolishPick – a discount site that I’ve ordered from countless times – their shipping is so fast, and they have incredible prices. Either way, get a nice little discount on these Infinite Shine shades.

Now let’s get on into the swatches!

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OPI ‘Metallic Mega Mix’ Fall 2024 Collection – Swatches & Review

GingerlyPolished4 Comments

*Blows dust off of blog, sits back down and powers up the machine* Alright, let’s get into it.

Of course what seems to always bring me back to this blog is a new OPI seasonal release. I’ve mentioned many a-time that my OPI collection posts are always the most popular, and based on the views I continually get for older releases, y’all like to use them as a reference. It would just feel wrong for me at this point to ever skip an OPI review, and it was itching at the back of my brain, pushing me to finally finish. So I’m very sorry for letting this reference sit in my drafts for far too long. (I will say I have been keeping up on my Instagram, and these swatches have been up there for a while. But blog posts are much easier to search and pull up at any moment’s need).

So alight, maybe you looked at OPI’s summer collection full of 12 creams and said “simply not for me, I don’t like creams”. Well, OPI heard you and said “FINE. We’ll give you a full set of a DIFFERENT FINISH.” Hey, maybe at this rate, we’ll get a collection of entirely holographic shades for winter. (I’m role-playing here as if I finished this post earlier, before the winter collection was officially announced and released).

This is the ‘Metallic Mega Mix’ collection for Fall 2024, and I’ll bet you can’t guess what finish they chose for this season.

WOW, you’re RIGHT. We have 12 new metallic shades here, and their overall vibe is just autumnal to me. The color palette feels like a nice chilly day, one spent apple picking or in a pumpkin patch. (I’m sorry to any readers if that’s only direct to other Midwesterners. But once you have an apple cider donut, you’ll understand our obsession).

These polishes are available from BeyondPolish.com in both normal lacquer and gel formulas (GingerlyPolished as always gets you 10% off individual items. It is affiliated so I would make a small commission if you use it, so no pressure as always! I love their site and I’m here to get you a little deal). Or they’re available from PolishPick as well. I’ll always only recommend sites that I’ve personally purchased from multiple times with no issues.

ALRIGHT, ON INTO THE SWATCHES.

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OPI Infinite Shine ‘My Me Era’ Summer 2024 Collection – Swatches & Review

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WHEW. Can you tell from time in between new posts that I’ve been experiencing some writer’s block over here? Well, I HAVE. Though maybe it’s hilarious to you to put “writers block” in the same arena as “blogging about nail polish”. But, maybe joking about it will help me finally break through that wall of pressure I always put onto myself for these posts. After all, no one will ever talk about if I’m not witty enough in these opening paragraphs, about how I craft the perfect little quips for each polish and description. You’re just here to know about the formula of some nail polish and I’m here to show you, and well I can always do at least that.

But in general, that’s just my personality, I love to put some unrealistic expectations on myself, and then avoid posting in general and losing any sort of true timeliness I could’ve had for a collection review. It’s fun!! Thank you for listening to my brief therapy session, I just had to get it out, and now I’m done. Let’s finally talk about nail polish, shall we?

***

For summer 2024, along with a 12 piece regular lacquer release, OPI also graciously bestowed upon us 9 more new shades in their Infinite Shine formula. The regular lacquers were all in a cream finish, so it was only fitting that the complementary Infinite Shine release featured all shimmer.

Now, what’s different about the Infinite Shine line, you ask? On their website OPI describes it as “Our shiniest shine ever in a long-lasting nail polish formula that delivers up to 11 days of gel-like wear.” So yes, it’s supposed to be nice and shinier and longer lasting than regular polish.

And “gel-like”. No, it is not gel. There are no lamps here, it dries on its own, it’s not attached to your nail. That’s always just a little marketing term they love to use. Maybe they are shinier, but it’s easy enough to apply a top coat. And I can’t ever speak to claims of wear as I’m never wearing polishes for long because of, you know, the swatching. So all I can say about it from my perspective is that it’s OPI’s slightly more expensive line with the fancy shiny caps. If the colors and formulas speak to you, buy them on a nice little discount from the two sites I mention below. I’m just here for the shimmer.

Now, speaking of that many times aforementioned shimmer – we have 9 polishes here, in a nice little range of shades, almost like a tropical rainbow. Each one has the same golden shimmer running through it. It gives all the shades a warm glow, its brings them all together into a cohesive set, and it feels like the sun’s just shining onto your fingers. It’s fun all around.

You can find these shades available on polishpick.com as well as on Beyond Polish – if you do shop through Beyond Polish you can use my code ‘GingerlyPolished’ for 10% off individual items (it is affiliated so I would earn a small commission so no pressure to use it!)

So let’s get on into these swatches (finally).

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OPI ‘My Me Era’ Summer 2024 Collection – Swatches & Review

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Oh hi there, it’s been a while again. But we SHAN’T DWELL ON THAT. You’ve been waiting long enough, I’m not going to give long explanations and lay out plans to not have it happen again – I’m just going to try my best. So let’s talk about some polish.

Now, I do say this every year, every season, and I shall repeat it again now: it doesn’t truly feel like a new nail polish season until I swatch up OPI’s collection. Therefore, it’s officially summer, as we look at OPI’s ‘My Me Era’ for Summer 2024! OPI describes this collection as “here to celebrate self expression with a bold color palette”.

If that sounds appealing AND you’re a cream nail polish lover, AND you’ve been missing those rich, bold creams from OPI, this collection is truly going to be for you. That’s right, we have 12 cream finishes in this set, ranging through the color spectrum. We got a little something for everyone here. Though I do question looking at all of these, is that little something summer? It’s a nontraditional seasonal palette here, and a lot of shades lean more autumn in my opinion – but I’m also team “wear whatever shade you want whenever you want” so I wouldn’t stop you. Just something I note.

These are, as always, available from Beyond Polish (you can use my affiliate link or my affiliate code “GingerlyPolished” for 10% off individual items. I will get a small commission from each sale so no pressure to use it!) They’re also available from Polish Pick.

Now let’s get on into the swatches!

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OPI ‘OPI Your Way’ Spring 2024 Collection – Swatches & Review

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OKAY HI. Remember how I said we were getting back into a groove of more regular posting on this blog? WELL. First I got sick, with a nice lovely little head cold, where it was important for me to just lay around and do nothing.

And then way more exciting: my fiancé and I got a dog!

We’ve been throwing around the idea of getting a dog together for a while, and this boy came up on a rescue’s website and he just sounded so perfect, and then boom next day we had him. We knew he would go fast so we were there, practically banging down the door at the minute the adoption center opened. His name is Huey, he’s 1.5 years old, he’s a beautiful brindle mix, and we love him so much. So he was planned in the way of us wanting a dog in general, very much unplanned in that we had to immediately take him with us to PetSmart and get food and essentials on our way home.

Of course, since then it’s been about settling him in and getting him into a good routine. And we’re truly starting to get there – he’s truly so sweet, and he’ll just sit on the bed watching me or snoozing as I swatch. So he’ll be the best little nail boy. Yes I was fully knocked off my own schedule for a few weeks, but we’re coming BACK.

***

Okay yes, enough about the most perfect boy, let’s talk about some POLISH. Anytime we enter into a new season of nail polish, it doesn’t feel truly kicked off until I swatch and post about the newest OPI collection. This post overall is a little later than I hoped (see explanation of sweet boy above) but BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, IT’S OFFICIALLY TIME FOR SPRING. You know, we’re still having 30 degree days here in Chicago so winter is desperately trying to cling on anyways.

Alright, Spring 2024. We have the ‘OPI Your Way’ collection. It’s a traditional 12 bottle release, with 7 more opaque creme polishes and 5 more sheer shimmery shades. With ‘OPI Your Way’, the whole idea of this collection is about layering the shades to create new and unique nail looks. It’s something different, and I loved all of the options and combinations you could explore.

These are available from polishpick.com as well as from Beyond Polish (you can use code GINGERLYPOLISHED for 10% off individual items – it is an affiliate link so I would earn a small commission, so no pressure to use it!)

Let’s dive on into the swatches!

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OPI ‘Terribly Nice’ Winter 2023 Collection + 2 Exclusive Glitters – Swatch & Review

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We’ve truly hit that point in December where my brain is just elevator music. There is nothing happening up there, and I have no motivations – hence this post coming out later than I planned (and all posts on the blog really). This is just true laying down time, there are no thoughts, head is empty. But every so often, there are signs of brain waves, and I must ride them for as long as I can. We must work through as much of the stack of blog posts just WAITING while the motivation is kicking.

So let’s FINALLY get this review up, shall we?

I’m always so excited for a new nail polish season, because it means revealing a new OPI seasonal release. OPI will always have a special place in my heart – and my blog as the brand regularly pulls in the highest views. They’ve had some absolutely stunning releases throughout the years, so I always look forward to what they’re coming out with next.

And our newest release we’re looking at today is the ‘Terribly Nice’ collection for Winter 2023. (Terribly nice is how I hope others describe me really). This is the classic 12 piece collection, and then as they tend to do for their holiday releases, we have 2 additional glitter shades. So that’s right, FOURTEEN polishes to look at today! This is a set of so much shimmer and sparkle and glitter – and 2 creams. There’s some classic metallics and shimmers, as well as a unique little finish, look at OPI experimenting over here! A little something for everyone here.

As always, my favorite place to purchase new OPI shades is polishpick.com. They still have the best prices and incredibly fast shipping. Beyond Polish also has the set, and if you’re shopping on their website you can use code GINGERLYPOLISHED for 10% off individual items (it is an affiliate code so I would get a lil commission, thank you to everyone who supports but no pressure to use it at all!)

ALRIGHT, you’ve been waiting long enough. Now let’s dive on into the swatches already!

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OPI ‘Big Zodiac Energy’ Fall 2023 Collection – Swatches & Review

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PURCHASED

HAPPY FALL Y’ALL. I always love a new season of nail polishes, and I have to say Fall is always my favorite for any sort of beauty. It’s always vampy, and bold and rich and I just love the shades, the oranges, the greens. And August-Septmber always kicks off the fall season in the nail world – even if the outside weather is not quite matching. (It’s supposed to get back up into the 80s here in Chicago and I NOT happy with it).

Weather aside, of course, I always love to dive into the newest seasonal releases with OPI’s collection.

This year for Fall 2023, OPI’s release is the ‘Big Zodiac Energy’ collection. It’s the traditional 12 bottle release, and as you might guess, they’re inspired by the 12 zodiac signs. Astrology is very popular, and whether or not you fully believe in it, we’re just here for fun and sparkly nail polishes. In the past I have loved any sort of collection that uses it for inspiration – they’ve usually always included rich jewel colors and sparkles and shimmer, and I’m glad to say this OPI set was no different! If you’re not a glitter lover, this set won’t be for you. We don’t have any creams in this set, it’s all shimmery goodness.

I purchased these from polishpick.com as I always do. They are also available from beyondpolish.com (and you can use my code GINGERLYPOLISHED for 10% off any individual items there. It is affiliated, so I do get a small commission, but as always no pressure to use it!).

Enough talk, let’s jump right into the swatches already!

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OPI x Barbie the Movie Collection – Swatches & Review

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PURCHASED

Have you all heard of a little movie that’s out right now? A little movie called Barbie? I’m sure you haven’t seen anything about it at all.

Listen, if you’re sick of it by now, if you’re haunted by all the versions of the lyrics “I’m a Barbie girl in a Barbie world”, if you see pink in every single waking moment – I’m sorry to say look away now, there’s another Barbie collaboration we’re looking at today.

That’s right, MORE BARBIE, BRING IT ON. In all seriousness though, I do love all of these releases. I love the resurgence of Barbie as well as wearing pink for adults. I’m so happy and pleased, and come on, if it makes you happy and isn’t hurting anyone, what more can we ask for. (I get it can seem like a lot, but we’re living in Hot Barbie Summer right now, in an age of 2 original Blockbusters dominating at theaters, at sold out shows at 10am, and as an avid moviegoer I couldn’t want anything more).

So yes, let’s look at this newest Barbie collaboration. This is a new release from OPI celebrating, of course, the Barbie movie. We have 9 gorgeous shades, in some obvious tones of pink, as well as some blue and yellow and lots of glitter and sparkle. These shades all come with a special cap, with the OPI logo and Barbie the Movie printed on it. So you’ll never forget where these came from. I will say it’s not directly printed on the caps, but instead is a separate plastic wrap – not my favorite but I do love a themed package.

All of these shades are available from polishpick.com as well as from Beyond Polish (as always I have an affiliate link and code – GINGERLYPOLISHED – with Beyond Polish that gives you a 10% discount on individual items. I do make a small commission from each sale – but no pressure to use and purchase as always).

So alright, let’s get on into the swatches now! Let’s go Barbie. (I had to).

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OPI ‘Summer Makes the Rules’ Summer 2023 Collection – Swatches & Review

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OPI collection reviews are always the most popular posts for this blog. They’re always topping the stats, and clearly everyone else is just as interested in the newest OPI release as I am. After all, it was a couple of random OPI bottles hidden away in the corner of a drawer that truly started my nail polish collection, so I’ll always feel an emotional connection to my “roots”.

Which makes a bad collection from OPI hurt so much more.

Sorry, I’m jumping ahead here. Let’s start off by introducing this newest collection. Yes, it’s SUMMER here in nail world. (And maybe wherever you live too, it’s FINALLY getting consistently warmer over here in the windy city). And I always dive into the new seasons with the OPI release. For Summer 2023, OPI’s release is the ‘Summer Make the Rules’ collection. As always it features 12 shades that as OPI says “let your nails be as bright, bold and carefree as you feel this summer”. We’ve got names themed around laying around the beach, lounging in the sun, and just living your best summer life.

These shades range in a rainbow of pastel, yet bright shades, from bright pinks, to corals, teals and lilacs. We have 8 cream shades and 4 shades in a frosty, pearly shimmery finish. They were a little something different to normal shimmers, and I always love something new in a collection.

As always, these are available from my favorite polishpick.com, or also at beyondpolish.com (affiliate link). Now, as I hinted to up above, the colors are just so pretty, while the formulas for a majority just … aren’t pretty. I struggled with quite a few streaky creams here, and that’s so unusual for OPI. Things lift up a touch in the back half of the set, but it was quite the journey to get there. I’ll let the individual swatch photos and videos speak for themselves now, but I wanted to make sure you were starting this post with the right expectations. Let’s dive in.

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